Datz a Family
by banjkazfan
Summary: But even as she clung to him, soaking his shirt with her tears, he knew that he was not the Papa she cried for. (Post Spirit of Justice AU.)
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: Originally requested from the PWKM, but it got absolutely out of control and I went crazy writing for it.)

* * *

Datz had always been a light sleeper. It was in his nature – when you spend a large portion of your waking time on the run, you snatch quick naps here and there when you can, and you never sleep heavily enough that you miss someone sneaking up on you.

(He'd only made that mistake once – in his twenties, he'd fallen asleep in an alleyway out of pure exhaustion. It was the second time he'd escaped from police custody, and had only awoken when he'd heard the sharp click of handcuffs snapping onto his wrists. Ever since then, sharp noises in particular woke him faster than anything else. Dhurke once almost caught the wrong end of a flailing arm because he'd snapped his fingers close to Datz's ear to wake him up one morning.)

But he hadn't slept well since the end of the Ga'ran regime.

It didn't make a lick of sense to him. This should have been a time of celebration – AJ had reopened the old law office and was standing in court alongside Yuty, the princess had committed herself to improving Khura'in and living up to her mother's example, and things were looking brighter than ever.

Still, something bothered him every night when he tried to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the civil case back in the United States with the doctor's death over the Founder's Orb and where PW had practically thrown him under the bus (for very good reasons, of course – didn't stop him from ribbing the younger man about it when things had settled down). The truth had come out, however, and the Defiant Dragons had taken rightful ownership of the artifact.

His frown darkened as he thought about that man, Paul Atishon. The Justice Minister had been the puppet master behind the doctor's death, but Atishon had actually done the deed with no care and no remorse, pinning the crime on Datz and leaving a child an orphan.

Armie Buff.

Datz remembered seeing the young girl after the trial, though he hadn't approached her – he'd been cleared of killing her father, but he figured that he was one of the last people she'd want to speak to right now. He didn't blame her for thinking it was him; Atishon had done a decent job of implicating him in the crime. But he smiled from his corner of the defendant's lobby as he watched her carefully set down her drone and press her small hands into the arms of her wheelchair. He knew that she was ready to do what she had to, for the sake of her own growth.

Athena gasped when Armie carefully stood on her own two feet. But Datz knew all along that she was going to be able to do it when she put her mind to it. She had been afraid for a long time, but now, like the dragon, she would not yield. She was ready to live again.

He wondered how many other people lived by the creed he did, just under different words.

Datz found that he couldn't stop thinking about the child over the next week, wondering if she was alright. He had no idea what would happen to her with both of her parents gone. She was strong, and she smiled, but he knew the wound was still fresh and that Armie would need time to heal.

In a way, he realized on Wednesday, she reminded him of AJ – both of his parents were gone, but Dhurke had taken him in as his own and raised him. The big difference was that AJ never had a chance to know his parents, but Armie had grown up with hers. And now, because of one greedy politician, she had nobody.

Now he understood what was bothering him.

On Friday, he asked Apollo for PW's phone number.

…

Phoenix was just about to send Athena home for the evening when the office phone rang. He glanced at the clock before deciding that it was best if he answered the call. After all, if somebody needed them, they should be present. Not to mention, it technically wasn't 5 o'clock yet, and it would probably look bad to clients if he let the phone go to voicemail before the day was actually over. Athena, however, pounced on the receiver and eagerly picked it up before he could even reach for the phone.

"Wright Anything Agency; you've reached Athena!" she blurted, clearly excited to be able to take the call. Phoenix chuckled to himself and set about tidying up his paperwork; he would stay nearby in case she needed him, but he trusted her to take the call. "Yes - oh, _hi!_ " Her smile was brighter now, and it sounded as if she was speaking to someone she knew. "It's so good to hear from you! How are you doing?" A pause while the other person answered; Phoenix tucked their paperwork for the day into a folder. "Uh-huh. We're well, thanks! …you want to speak to Mr. Wright? Yeah, he's right here! Hold on a second!"

She held the phone out to him. "You're never gonna guess who it is!" she said. "Go on, guess!"

Phoenix reached for the phone, running over a list of people who Athena knew well enough to answer that eagerly. He shrugged. "I've got nothing. Here, let me just…" He tucked the phone to his shoulder and filed away the new folder while Athena pouted about how boring it was that he didn't even take a guess. "This is Phoenix Wright."

He was certainly caught off guard by the voice on the other line. _"Hey, PW! How have you been?"_

"Datz!" Phoenix stopped what he was doing. "Long time no see. We're fine – how are things over there?"

He'd recently received a letter from Apollo filled with updates, so he was more than a little surprised to be hearing from Datz. He liked the man fine, but it wasn't as if they had been particularly close. Then there was the whole awkwardness where, for Maya's sake, he'd had to turn blame of a crime to Datz. The older man had forgiven him easily, but had teased him about it to the point that Phoenix wasn't entirely sure that he actually _was_ forgiven. Needless to say, he wasn't sure what he should expect from this call.

" _Not bad, can't complain!"_ Datz's cheery tone filled his ear. _"I'm sure you've gotten AJ's letter by now, but he's up to his neck in cases! Being the only lawyer here is starting to get to him, hahaha!"_ For a moment, his countenance turned serious. _"But he's tough. I know he can do it. He won't yield – he's Dhurke's boy, after all."_

Phoenix blinked in surprise. Was that pride he was hearing? He shouldn't be so surprised, he figured – technically, Datz had known Apollo for far longer than Phoenix himself, even if they hadn't seen each other for a long time. And now he was getting to watch him grow all over again, as if making up for lost time. "I know he can, too," Phoenix affirmed. "It's why I trusted him with my firm while I was in Khura'in."

" _Hah! That's right,"_ Datz chortled. _"He held down the fort while you were shaking things up!"_

Phoenix chuckled in return. "That he did." But he suspected that Datz had another reason for calling. "Hey, I'm sure this phone call isn't cheap," he finally said. "What's going on?"

He heard Datz's heavy sigh on the other end. _"It's not, but…I had to ask you."_ Phoenix felt his heart sink. Oh, god, was he in some kind of trouble again? He had flashbacks to standing in Khura'in's court and swallowed a burst of panic. _"What happened to Armie – you know, Dr. Buff's girl?"_

Well, that was unexpected. He frowned as he racked his memory. "Armie Buff," he repeated, going to his folders and flicking through them to find the case file. "Well…she was invited to an archaeological dig through the university her father used to work at," Phoenix said. "She's pretty happy about that, last I heard."

Datz made a thoughtful noise. _"What about outside of that? Does she have family?"_

Phoenix paused as he took a moment to flip through the file. "Unfortunately, no," he finally admitted. "She goes on the digs occasionally, but other than that she lives at an orphanage. She had no living family."

There was silence for so long that Phoenix wondered if the call had dropped. When he pulled back to check, the call timer was still going. "Datz? Are you still there?"

The older man exhaled slowly. _"PW…your daughter is adopted, isn't she? AJ was telling me about it."_

Phoenix couldn't stop the small smile that crossed his face. "Yeah," he said. "Trucy's adopted. It wasn't easy, but she had nobody else. I knew I had to do it." He gently guided the conversation along, trying to lead it to the point that he suspected was coming. "What's on your mind, Datz?"

There was another long pause, but he finally responded. _"I want to adopt Armie,"_ he said. _"I feel badly for what happened with her old man, and she's got nobody else in her corner. I want to help her."_

Phoenix's smile widened. He'd sensed that this was what Datz was going to ask, and he was warmed by how genuine the other man sounded. But, he knew that he had to warn him. "It won't be easy," he cautioned. "You've technically still got a criminal record even though Ga'ran's no longer in power, and they check things like that. It was hard enough for me to adopt Trucy after I'd been disbarred."

Datz sighed heavily. _"Yeah, I was afraid of that,"_ he admitted. _"But…isn't there anything I can do?"_

Phoenix took a seat at his desk, thinking it over. "Well, Queen Amara has plans to pardon all of the Defiant Dragons, doesn't she?" he finally remembered. "Once that clears, I'm sure it'll make things easier."

" _Hey, that's right!"_ He sure sounded cheerier already. _"She's a bit busy with everything else going on, but I know she will!"_ There was a brief pause. _"Be honest with me, Phoenix. Do you really think I've got a chance?"_

Caught off guard by the use of his full first name, Phoenix was driven to honesty in his answer. "It's not going to be easy, Datz. I think you've got a long road ahead of you. And besides…" He hesitated, not sure that the next part was going to be what Datz wanted to hear, but knowing it had to be said. "You have to see if it's something that Armie even wants."

Datz was quiet again for a moment. _"Yeah,"_ he agreed. _"I know. I want to visit her once things settle down here. If it isn't what she wants, then I'm not gonna push it."_

Phoenix smiled softly. He was clearly thinking about what would be best for the girl – that was a good sign. "Datz," he said. "Get in touch with me once you've had your criminal record pardoned. I promise I'll do everything I can to help you with this."


	2. Chapter 2

It was a few weeks later when Phoenix received the next call, telling him that Queen Amara had officially absolved all of the Defiant Dragons of their crimes against the crown. Datz sounded so _excited_ that Phoenix couldn't help but feel the contagious mirth himself. "Congratulations," he said warmly. "You're officially a free man."

" _I knew she wouldn't let us down!"_ Datz grinned. _"Hey, PW…did you really mean it, what you said a few weeks ago? You'll help me?"_

Phoenix nodded, though Datz couldn't see him over the phone and he had to affirm it verbally. "I did, and I will. You just need to make your way stateside and we can begin getting things in order."

He was surprised when Datz showed up on his doorstep only two days later, looking jetlagged but still smiling. Phoenix supposed that spoke for his dedication to really making this work, and found himself touched by how genuine Datz seemed about this.

Phoenix knew that nothing could likely be done that day, so he insisted that Datz try to catch up on a few hours' sleep while Phoenix made a few necessary phone calls. He spoke with Armie's caseworker at the orphanage and informed her that he had a client who was interested in adopting the girl. He gave all of the relevant information that he could, and the caseworker assured him that anything else could be brought to a visit tomorrow. They exchanged contact information and Phoenix knew that the first step was finished.

Phoenix thought he'd let Datz sleep for a bit and went about finishing some paperwork he'd been doing. He was startled when Datz jolted awake at the sound of his stapler, but was glad to at least have some information to give him in exchange for waking him. They discussed the plan ("You, uh, should probably leave your machete at my office, Datz") and agreed to meet at Phoenix's office tomorrow morning.

Datz barely slept that night, but for quite a different reason than the past few months. Whereas before he'd had a sense of guilt in his stomach, now he felt excitement.

…

Armie was startled when the caseworker had warmly informed her that someone was interested in adopting her. She had never given much thought to the idea, feeling like it was a betrayal of her Papa's love, but it hadn't come up thus far and thus she had put it out of her mind.

"There's no pressure," Ms. Letah said gently. "Would you like to at least meet him?"

Armie hesitated for a long moment, but finally nodded. She was curious as to who wanted to see her, after all. Delicately she scooped up her drone, mentally preparing to walk downstairs. She was no longer allowed to fly it inside the orphanage, but having it close by brought her strength.

She nearly dropped it when she saw the two men who were waiting for her.

"It's – it's you," she blurted, staring right at the older man. "Mr. Are'bal…"

She didn't know what to make of this. She knew that Paul Atishon had been the man to murder her Papa, but…Mr. Are'bal had been there that night as well, arguing with Papa. It was hard to forget the sound of their voices rising, carrying up to her room.

But now he stood in front of her with a warm smile while the lawyer from her Papa's case stood a few feet behind. "Hey, Sarge," he greeted. For a moment, it seemed like he didn't know what to say either. But then he took a step closer and Armie tried not to step back. She was working hard at standing on her own two feet and not retreating anymore. "How've you been, kiddo?"

She swallowed a little, arms closing a little tighter around her drone. "I'm okay," she said, trying to keep her voice at a regular conversation level. "Um…what are you doing here?" She glanced at the lawyer, Mr. Wright, as if expecting an answer from him. Could Mr. Are'bal be the man that wanted to adopt her?

Datz's shoulders dropped a little, and it seemed as if he was more relaxed. "I thought maybe you'd want to go check out the science museum with me," he said. "They've got this great exhibit on drones that you'd like."

Despite her reservations, Armie perked up considerably at his words. "A drone exhibit?" she said.

Datz grinned at her. "That's right! Plus, I don't know a whole lot about these things. Thought maybe you could walk me through some of the harder parts."

Armie's eyes practically shone. Not only a chance to see an exhibit about drones, but a chance to explain it to someone? She was already feeling better about this day. "Wait here, Private," she said, slipping easily back into her Sarge persona. She turned and practically ran upstairs to change into something other than her camouflage pajamas.

Maybe this would be a fun afternoon after all.

…

Phoenix was there mostly to assist with any necessary paperwork, but first he and Ms. Letah chaperoned the outing – mostly to see how Armie took to Datz. After talking with Phoenix, Ms. Letah was aware of the unusual circumstances behind their previous meeting and had reservations about the viability of the adoption. But Phoenix stood firm as a character witness for Datz and assured her that he had the girl's best interests at heart. They remained close enough to observe without being stifling, and Ms. Letah had to admit that she could see a spark of something between them.

Datz was just as exuberant as Armie, vocally expressing surprise and interest over the way that Armie explained one thing or another. Armie, for her part, was talking animatedly in a way that Ms. Letah hadn't ever seen. She was practically glowing as she pointed out the way that drones had evolved over the years and how they could be enormous, like hers, or could fit in the palm of her hand. Datz had seemed particularly enamored with the tiny ones, and he and Armie both leaned in to see one. They both let out an impressed "whoa" as the guide controlled it and let it fly directly out of Armie's hand. And when the guide had asked Armie about her drone, she proudly let him examine it while Datz stood behind her, smiling warmly at how knowledgeable she was.

By the time they returned to the orphanage at the end of the tour, Armie was excitedly chattering to Datz. "Controlling a drone takes discipline and practice, Private Are'bal!" she said, pointing to the sky. "You're not going to master it the first time, but you can't give up!"

Datz planted his hands on his hips and laughed. "A dragon never yields," he reminded her. "Maybe sometime you can let me try flying yours!"

"W-what?!" She clutched it closer protectively. "No way! You're too low ranking to even attempt it, Private! Nobody but me flies this one!"

He chuckled and leaned over to place a hand on her helmet. "Alright, alright," he ceded. "I getcha! I'll just have to pick up one of my own. Then you can teach me, right?"

"Fine," she agreed. "I suppose I can teach you sometime. You'd better be ready for boot camp!"

Datz laughed again, acknowledging her with a sharp salute. "Looking forward to it, Sarge – I'll be ready!" he promised.

Phoenix shook Ms. Letah's hand, Datz gave Armie's shoulder a warm squeeze, and they bid each other goodnight.

Armie figured that would be the end of it. She'd been with him all day, and he hadn't mentioned adopting her. Maybe he was just visiting because he felt guilty for what had happened to her father.

She tried to push down the burst of hurt she felt at that idea as she settled into bed that night and pulled the covers up over her head.


	3. Chapter 3

Except it wasn't just once.

Datz came to see her every day for the next week, always smiling brightly when she entered the room. He had gone out after their first outing and bought a small drone that fit in the palm of his hand, sheepishly asking if she would teach him how to fly it.

Sometimes he took her out somewhere. Sometimes they stayed out in the yard and just talked while she tried to instruct him to fly the drone. Sometimes Mr. Wright was there. Sometimes he was with Ms. Letah, or wasn't there at all. The only consistency was that Datz was always there, and he was always smiling at her.

Finally, after he had visited her for over a week straight, he brought it up at the end of another day of flying lessons. "Listen, Sarge," he said, his voice quieter and gentler than she'd ever heard it. "I know…that you don't have any family left."

Her shoulders tensed and she pressed her lips together. _No_. She'd gone so long without crying about their deaths. She _refused_ to start now.

"But…if you'll let me," he continued, "I'd like to adopt you."

She looked up at him, still caught off guard even though she had been expecting it since the beginning. Why had he waited so long? Was he trying to make up his mind? She had so many questions but none would come out.

"…why?" It was the only word that she could push out of her tight throat, but it encompassed the most important thing for her to know.

Datz smiled warmly. "Because you're a good kid," he said, "and I want to be in your corner."

She blinked up at him, still not sure what to say – or even if she could form the words.

"It's your choice, of course," Datz assured her. "I'm not gonna push you if you don't want to. It's why I waited so long to bring it up." He gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Ms. Letah's probably gonna kick me out soon, so you'll have time to think, alright?"

Sure enough, the caseworker appeared to tell Datz that it was time for Armie to eat dinner and get some rest, but that he was welcome to return in the morning. Her countenance toward the other man had softened considerably over the last week, as she smiled when he shook her hand and bid her goodnight. Datz knelt down to Armie's height, as he towered over her otherwise, and as he did every night gave her shoulder a warm squeeze. "See ya tomorrow, kiddo," he said, and he waved as he left.

Armie sat up half of the night thinking over everything that Datz had said to her. Her blonde hair slipped into her face as she leaned over, memories of her Mama and Papa coming to mind. If she let someone else adopt her, was it betraying the love of her family? Or would they want her to be happy?

Despite not being allowed to do so at the orphanage, she flew the drone around her room for a while; it helped her think. Though it wasn't equipped for full surveillance anymore, she was still able to take a few pictures using its camera. She parked the drone after a while, took out her small laptop, and tapped through the pictures that she had taken over the past few days. Mostly they were pictures of the places that she, Datz, and sometimes Mr. Wright had walked together. There was one in there that she had taken that really made her smile. You could see her and Datz standing on the ground far below the drone - so far you almost couldn't see them. But what you could see clearly was just how brightly Armie was smiling, and the way that Datz grinned at her.

" _Because you're a good kid…and I want to be in your corner."_

No word about feeling guilty for what had happened to her father or a sense of responsibility to her. Nothing about that…his words were entirely focused on her wellbeing, and that he wanted to be there for her.

The next morning, when Ms. Letah came to tell her that Datz was here again, Armie was already waiting with her bag packed and a small smile on her face.

…

Of course, things didn't happen right away – it took a while longer. There was the paperwork side of things, and then there was the fact that Datz had to get his apartment in Khura'in ready for a young girl. He was back and forth from Khura'in every other week or so, and every time he was stateside he was sure to visit and show Armie pictures of the progress that he was making. She kept bracing for the announcement that he had changed his mind and that she would be left alone at the orphanage, but it never came. Every time he left, it was with the same promise that he would be back and the same warm squeeze of her shoulder.

Finally the time came for her to relocate permanently to Khura'in. She thought she would be sadder about leaving the United States behind, but with her family gone and no friends to speak of, Armie was more willing to bid it farewell. Ms. Letah drove her to the airport, but to her surprise Mr. Wright was there as well. The ride was amicable, and Ms. Letah smiled fondly as she told Armie that she was going to enjoy her new country.

When she got out of the car, Mr. Wright joined her. He got down to her level, giving her a smile and his card. "Listen," he said gently. "I know you're about to go through some really big changes. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can call this number and ask for my daughter, Trucy. She's been through what you're going through, and I'm sure she'd love to help."

Armie shyly took the card and tucked it away into her bag. "Thanks, Private Wright," she mumbled, hiding behind her Sarge persona again to help calm her own nerves.

He smiled and patted her shoulder. "You're in good hands," he promised. "Datz will take care of you."

He waved goodbye as a kind woman approached her and guided her inside. She was one of the airport employees and was there to meet her, as Armie would be flying alone and had never been on a plane before. The bubbly woman explained that she was called an "Unaccompanied Minor" and that each of the flight attendants on her flight would be looking out for her and make sure she had everything that she needed. She also walked Armie through the airport, pointing out the planes outside of the window and showing her exactly the kind that she would be flying on, as well as reassuring her that she didn't need to be nervous.

She was a little nervous to leave everything she knew behind, of course. But as the wheels picked up and Armie watched the United States below her disappear, she began to feel a stirring excitement.

…

Datz, on the other hand, was starting to become a nervous wreck. He kept tapping at his phone, trying to refresh it to see how far along Armie's flight was. It was far – nearly 13 hours – but he couldn't help his nerves.

Beh'leeb Inmee gave him a polite smile as he checked his phone for the tenth time in a half-hour. "Are you waiting for something, Datz?" she asked, shifting Faitah into her other arm. The baby gave a soft sigh and nestled closer.

"Hah," he laughed quietly. "I guess it shows, huh?" Quickly he explained to Beh'leeb why he had been so absent the past few months and just why he had gone to the United States in the first place. She listened intently, softly rocking Faitah as Datz spoke.

"…so I guess I don't know what I'm getting into," he sighed, shoving a hand through his short hair. "I want to help her and be there for her, but…" A wry smile tugged at his lips. "I hoped you might have some advice, being a mother and all."

Beh'leeb chuckled gently. "Datz," she reminded him, "Faitah is only a baby, and Armie is a twelve-year-old child. You've certainly taken a step above me in your child's development."

His cheeks turned slightly pink at her words. _Your child_. He had tried not to think of Armie in those terms, mostly because she had family before he'd come along, but the papers had all been signed. She really _was_ his child, in a sense.

Beh'leeb reached out with her free hand and lightly rested it on his shoulder. "You're going to be a fine father," she said warmly. "I've seen you with Faitah, after all…even if the little one is not impressed with your displays of manliness." She giggled to herself. "And the way you talk about Armie, I can tell that you truly care for her. I believe that you two will be happy together." She gave his arm a soft squeeze. "Once she's settled, I'd like to meet her."

He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Yeah, I can do that," he agreed. "Thanks, Beh'leeb." Carefully moving so as not to jostle Faitah, Datz leaned over and gave Beh'leeb a hug. "I'd better get going, though. AJ and Yuty agreed to go with me to the airport to pick her up, and I don't want to keep her waiting."

Beh'leeb returned the hug and patted his back fondly. "You and your daughter are always welcome here," she said. "Just remember that."

…

Datz practically bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited at the arrivals gate. Nahyuta and Apollo gave each other an amused glance, privately sharing the thought that they had never seen their friend so wound up.

"Datz," Nahyuta tried. "Armie is not due to arrive for at least half an hour. Are you sure that we should just stand here and wait?"

Datz seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, and Nahyuta looked at Apollo in exasperation. Apollo could take a hint and he stepped up, putting a hand on Datz's shoulder. "Hey, Datz – "

"YIPE!" The older man jumped almost a foot and flailed himself into a fighting position, as if he'd forgotten that the other two were there. Apollo yelped in return and disengaged to avoid being struck (Datz had nearly hit him with his flailing once when his stapler snapped loudly in the quiet office – he could never figure out what had brought _that_ on).

"Jeez, I'm sorry, Datz," Apollo said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

He laughed weakly in return. "No worries, AJ. Sorry, Yuty. I guess I'm just a little high-strung."

Apollo nodded understandingly. He knew Armie, of course, having helped work to pull the truth from her during the trial for her father's death (though the credit really all went to Athena for that). He'd been completely blown away when he'd heard Datz tell Mr. Wright that he wanted to adopt the girl; Apollo had been half-waiting for Datz to break into his usual laughter and wave it off, but he'd seen the man's face when he said it.

Datz had never been more serious about anything in his life.

So he was a little more understanding of Datz's nerves; the poor man was so worked up that Apollo didn't need his bracelet to see the tension setting his shoulders and the twitching of his fingers. He gave Nahyuta a glance to try and get him to understand, but it was like appealing to a rock wall.

Or so Apollo thought. There was a pause before Nahyuta spoke up. "Datz…it seems in my haste to follow you and Apollo, I neglected to eat something. Do you have anything with you?"

Apollo gave him a strange look. He'd seen Nahyuta eat something back at the office earlier before they left, but the prosecutor's sharp glare warned him against saying something now. A slow smile crossed his face as he recognized what his foster brother was trying to do.

"Huh?" Datz's attention was on Nahyuta now. "Sure!" He reached into his seemingly never-ending pouch, pulling an apple out. Deftly he removed his machete from his belt (Apollo paled; didn't he ever think maybe he should leave that thing _at home?_ ) and began to peel the apple. The skin came off in one perfect stripe, which he discarded as he tossed the apple to Nahyuta. "There ya go, Yuty! Hope that helps for now."

Apollo noticed that Datz's fingers had stopped shaking while he peeled the apple and he spoke up. "Hey, Datz, um…sorry. Can I bug you for one, too? It was a busy day between the investigation and this, so…" He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Datz's smile softened. He recognized what they were trying to do, though it had taken a moment. He obliged them, however, and decided not to say anything. Just as easily as he'd done for Nahyuta, he peeled an apple for Apollo and tossed it to him. Datz tucked his machete away and wrapped an arm around each of them, tugging them closer.

For a moment, he felt a hole in his heart when he realized that it was just him left to look after them. Dhurke had raised them and Datz had been in the background, but now he felt more of a sense of responsibility towards them. His grip tightened minutely. They were grown men now, but he would always remember the two young boys running behind Dhurke wherever he went and looking at their father like he was the sun.

…would she look at him that way, too?

He was startled from his thoughts when he heard the announcement that flight 7625 was now landing, and he set his shoulders a little straighter as he released Apollo and Nahyuta. He strode forward, grinning when he saw Armie, shyly clutching her drone close, exiting the doors.


	4. Chapter 4

It took time for her to settle in, of course. Armie was still a little uncertain about the arrangement, but she was slowly becoming more comfortable with every friendly pat on the head or shoulder squeeze that Datz liked to grant her.

But what was she supposed to _call him_?

None of the things that anybody else called him seemed _right_. Ahlbi's call of "Mr. Are'bal" felt too formal, considering she lived with him now. She wasn't too keen on the crown princess – and boy, wasn't that something, that Datz knew the princess of an entire kingdom, however indirectly – calling him "Air Head". (Her own nickname of Helmet Head…she wasn't entirely sure that she was fond of that yet, either.) Private Justice and Nahyuta calling him "Datz" seemed…too informal, almost?

But no fatherly term seemed right, either, considering how recently she'd lost Papa. She wasn't looking for another father, and she knew that Datz knew this. He never pressed her into addressing him in any particular way – he answered to pretty much anything she attempted and never called attention to the frequent changes.

It still felt _awkward_ not to know how to call the man she lived with.

Eventually she settled on calling him Corporal, a name he'd taken a shine to. Every time she said it, he grinned and rustled her hair (or her helmet, depending on what she was wearing). She flushed pink and declared that a Corporal did _not_ rustle their commanding officer's hair, but when he turned away she found it hard to hide a smile.

…

One night Datz was startled awake by a hiccupping cry and was instantly alert, rushing down the hallway to Armie's room. It had to have come from her; there was nobody else in the apartment. He hovered in the doorway uncertainly, unsure if it was acceptable for him to enter. "Armie?"

She was sitting straight up in bed; her beautiful, long hair covered most of her face. Datz wasn't even sure if he she heard him speak. He waited for a long moment, until she slowly moved. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against her face and she began to cry shakily.

He immediately stepped in, crossing the threshold of her room and a previously unspoken boundary. There was just enough space for him to sit on the edge of the bed and he did so, reaching out for her but unsure of what was okay when she was in such a state. Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed and he wrapped an arm around her, tugging her gently against his side.

"Aw, kiddo," he murmured quietly, pushing her hair lightly away from her face. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head. How could she be okay with nightmares like this, where she had to relive the deaths of both of her parents? How she had to hear them, screaming her name as they burned alive before her – ?

She braced herself for the inevitable questions – _What happened? What did you dream about? Do you want to talk about it?_ – but they never came. Datz just sat perched on the edge of her bed, an arm around her as he waited for her to calm down on her own terms.

"You know," he said, so softly that she had to strain to hear him. "It's alright to be scared, and have nightmares. I do too, sometimes."

He would never tell her about his – he would never burden a child with the things that he had seen in his life – but he hoped that perhaps the shared experience would help her to realize that she wasn't alone.

"…you do?" She lifted her head, looking at him curiously as she swiped her arm across her eyes. She had sort of figured that adults didn't have nightmares, that there wasn't anything they were scared of. "Do you…want to talk about it?"

How ironic. The very questions she hated were the first things on the tip of her tongue.

Datz smiled gently and rustled her hair. "Nah. I'm fine. For me, bringin' it all back up like that only makes it harder for me to move on. But thanks, kiddo."

Armie nodded a little. She understood perfectly, and now she knew why his first question wasn't if she wanted to talk about it. "…thanks for checking on me, Corporal," she said, for lack of anything else to say. The nickname was met with the predictable ruffle of her hair and the tiniest of smiles crossed her face. "I think I should…try to go back to sleep."

Datz nodded. "'course. I'm just down the hall if you need me, alright?" She nodded and he stood slowly (Armie thought she heard a few joints popping and winced sympathetically).

As she settled back to sleep, she remembered that Papa had never pushed her to say what her nightmares were about, either.

…

The worst nightmare was about three months into her new life.

It was around 3 AM when a scream rang through their apartment. Datz was halfway down the hall to Armie's room before she had even paused for breath, fearing the worst. He stumbled into her room, eyes wide and frantic as he watched her. It seemed like she was still in the throes of her nightmare, clawing frantically at the sheets and desperately trying to kick the blanket off. He didn't want her to hurt herself, but he was afraid to approach her and make things worse.

He settled for kneeling next to her and waiting for her to ride it out, hands nearby in case she threatened to roll off the bed. It tore him to pieces to watch her tear at the blankets and cry out in terror, but after the longest minute of his life she finally snapped awake with a terrified gasp.

"Armie?" Datz called her name softly, not wanting to scare her further when she was clearly still upset. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she snapped to look at him, almost seeming not to recognize him for a second; Datz kept his hands nearby but still where she could see them.

"F-Fire…"

He tensed. Fire? She must have been having a nightmare about her mother, then. This was the first time he'd heard her even breathe a word of what she was dreaming about.

"I-I…" Armie swallowed desperately, like she was choking on it. "I was b-burning…burning alive…" Her fingers dug into the sheets and her hands trembled. "I could feel it, a-all around me –"

Datz sat on the bed next to her, laying his hand on her back to steady her. She had never openly spoke about her nightmares like this, and he just waited patiently for her to finish.

"The flames…they were licking at me…I-I-I could feel my hair burning off…m-my skin, burning…" Now she trembled violently as she pressed herself forcefully against Datz, burying her face against his chest. Her small fingers clutched at the fabric of his shirt, digging in so tightly he could feel her fingernails pressing in. " _I was dying._ "

His heart seized. Oh, Holy Mother. He knew that sort of nightmare all too well, and he knew how terrifying it was to live through that. Datz rubbed her back gently with one hand and carded through her hair with the other.

"You're safe, Armie," he assured her. "I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you're safe with me, kiddo."

Dhurke had once told him that a father would take his child's pain upon himself in an instant, if he could. It was said one night after both Apollo and Nahyuta had almost drowned in the rapids and Dhurke had nearly drowned going after them. Datz remembered that he had arrived just in enough time for Dhurke to hand him Nahyuta, and then Apollo, and then for Datz to help pull him out as well.

But Dhurke wasn't concerned for his own wellbeing. He was completely focused on Apollo and Nahyuta and the way that they clung to him and sobbed, and he held them both close.

" _What kind of father wouldn't sacrifice himself to save his children?" Dhurke had reassured the boys._

The way his own heart ached as he watched Armie cry, and his wish that he could take the pain of her nightmare for himself, told Datz that he was indeed a father.

But even as she clung to him, soaking his shirt with her tears, he knew that he was not the Papa she cried for.


	5. Chapter 5

They settled into a routine after a few months together. Armie would follow Datz to the law office each morning, helping him tidy up any dusty corners she found. She actually got quite good at filing, something that Private Justice seemed pleased with. The only part that she wasn't actually allowed to help with was the actual investigations – Datz wouldn't let her be part of those, and she was honestly pretty content with not investigating murders. While he was helping Apollo with those, she spent most of her time hanging out with Ahlbi.

It was strange to have a friend even a little close to her own age. And Ahlbi was always so…aggressively friendly. But Armie was quickly getting used to his company and found herself even looking forward to seeing the boy. He taught her some of the best techniques he knew for selling people on Khura'inese merchandise, and Armie eagerly showed him how he could market to a wider area by attaching items to her drone and flying it around the city. Shah'do nipped at their heels, chasing them both through the streets with exuberance as Armie tried to retrieve the runaway drone with the magatah'man buns attached.

Datz was pleased that Armie seemed to be making friends. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her, Ahlbi," he grinned one day at the younger boy. Armie was in the background, critically studying the War'baad and attempting to get it to do something other than roar.

"O-of course, Mr. Are'bal!" Ahlbi practically shouted. "I really enjoy Armie's company!" His cheeks turned slightly pink and he smiled now. "I love the way she giggles and smiles when she flies her drone over Tehm'pul Temple…haha, it makes my heart beat really fast!" He tucked his hands behind his head and laughed. "That's really weird, isn't it, Mr. Are'bal?"

Datz felt his face go completely blank. …huh. So it appeared that Ahlbi had a crush on Armie, if the way he described her was anything to go by. He drew himself up a little taller to his full 6'1", staring down at the younger boy. "Interesting," he said, his voice carefully placid as he drew his machete from his belt. "Can't imagine what that could mean." He removed an apple from his pouch and began to peel it with much more aggression than normal.

Ahlbi felt sweat breaking out across his forehead. Had he done something wrong?

"W-well, uh," he continued. "Shah'do loves her, too!"

 _Too?_ Oh, it was like the boy didn't even know what he was saying. Datz's hand twitched and he took a chunk out of the apple.

Ahlbi was saved from any further intimidation as Armie ran over. "I think I finally got it to say something!" she shouted excitedly, grabbing Datz's wrist and tugging. "Corporal, you have to come see!"

Datz's simmering irritation was stemmed as he made his way over, grinning broadly as Armie coached the bird to speak. The bird ruffled its feathers and, rather than roaring as it was wont to do, let out a terse, yipping bark.

Ahlbi decided it was better to go home at this point and…maybe stay away from Mr. Are'bal for a few days.


	6. Chapter 6

Nearly six months in, Datz screwed up.

He'd gone into Armie's room to replace her goggles – Ahlbi's dog had run away with them, breaking them in the process, and he had repaired them. As he laid them on her desk, the open book nearby caught his eye. Datz tilted his head to try and read it a little better, tugging it a little closer without thinking. Was she writing a novel or something?

 _November 13_ _th_

 _Sometimes I don't think I'm ever going to fit in here. Everyone's so nice, but…it's just not the same. I just don't know what to do…_

 _Corporal has been so kind to me, but…I don't know. I just can't see him as my Papa._

His stomach dropped as he realized what this was. She'd been keeping a diary, and she wasn't happy.

Had he been doing that badly that she was still so unhappy?

"Corporal, are those my goggles – ? Ah!"

Datz turned quickly and realized that he'd been caught. Old habits die hard, apparently.

Armie stood in the doorway, fists balled at her sides and shaking lightly. Her face turned red as she remembered just which entry was open. "That's. My. _Diary_ ," she said, and her voice was low and as dangerous as a viper.

Datz immediately threw his hands up in surrender – another old habit borne from years of being cornered with weapons. And Armie was quickly rounding on him with her most dangerous weapon – her words. "Sarge," he said, falling into the nickname to try and placate her. "I didn't know what it was. I didn't mean to read it."

But that wasn't enough for Armie. "But you _read it anyways!_ " she practically shouted.

Well, there was nothing to do but own up to it. "I did," Datz admitted. "And I screwed up. But…" His mind flitted back to the words on the page and he tried to placate her. "It's alright," he said, thinking of the words that had been written. He didn't want her to feel _guilty_ for what she'd said – they were her own feelings, after all. There was nothing for her to feel bad about.

" _It's not alright!_ " Now she was screaming, and he realized that he had _really_ screwed up. Before he could explain what he had meant, Armie continued her angry tirade. "You never take anything seriously that's important to me!" She pointed at him, fingers shaking lightly from her anger.

"Armie – " Datz reached out for her, desperately trying to fix the situation however he could. He wanted to grip her shoulder the way he'd done so many times in the beginning, to just reassert that connection between them and use it as a starting point. But in her anger, she swatted his hands away.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped. "Just leave me alone!"

Armie grabbed the diary, snapped it shut, and shoved it violently into her bag. She grabbed the goggles as well, angrily snapping them on and dashing out of the room.

"Armie!" Datz was after her in an instant, feeling a lead weight in the pit his stomach. Oh, he'd completely blown it. He heard the front door slam and he sighed, raking his hands through his hair.

Well…she'd made it clear that she wanted space. He figured that pursuing her would just make her angrier at this point, so maybe it was best if he gave her space and let her cool down. She'd come back, he knew.

Datz searched through the cabinets for the proper spices. He remembered Armie once said that her mother made amazing pelmeni, and she sighed because she'd never get to taste it again. He'd asked AJ a few weeks ago what made great pelmeni ("I don't know; go check the internet?") and had been secretly collecting the ingredients since then in the hopes that Armie wouldn't notice what he was up to. He finally had everything in one place and figured that an apology would be as good a reason as any to try making it.

It wouldn't make her forgive him, but it might calm her down enough that she would listen to his apology.

…

The first rumble of thunder caused him to jump. Datz frowned as he opened the kitchen window and looked outside. It didn't look good; the sky was rapidly darkening and the clouds looked heavy with rain.

Datz checked his phone. It had been an hour since Armie had run out with no sign of her returning. He was okay with her being out on her own when the weather was fine, but Khura'in's rain was the worst, especially during the rainy season. It became nearly impossible to see, and even someone who knew the streets would have difficulty finding their home with how the streets became washed out and flooded…

He felt sick. What if she got lost and couldn't find her way back? She'd have no idea where she was, and she could get cold – or worse, if the streets flooded, she might get washed away – !

Datz left the pelmeni cooling on top of the stove and he grabbed his phone. Hurriedly he dialed a number and pressed the phone to his ear. "AJ, have you seen Armie?"

" _Datz? No, I haven't seen her all day. She's not with you?"_

His throat felt tight. "No…she ran out after we had a fight. I haven't seen her in over an hour, but it's gonna rain." He swallowed roughly. "You know how bad the rain gets here."

" _I know."_ He heard the sound of fabric shuffling and the jingling of keys. _"I'm on my way over. I'll stay at your apartment in case she comes back, but you start looking for her, okay?"_ Datz heard a door slam and heard Apollo's hurried footsteps. _"Datz. Listen. She's fine. Armie's tough. You've just got to help her find her way home and everything will be fine!"_

His grip tightened on his phone and he nodded. "Yeah. I know. Thanks, AJ. I owe you one."

" _Call us even for when I was growing up. Get going!"_

Datz smirked despite the fear roiling in him. "Alright. Let me know if you hear anything." He tucked his phone into his pocket and took to the streets.

…

"…and he read my diary," Armie mumbled at the floor, staring down at the aforementioned book in her lap. "Why would he do that?"

Beh'leeb's brow creased in concern as she listened to the young girl. "I understand why that would frustrate you," she said gently. "I know Datz, and he can be a bit…scatterbrained at times. But make no mistake, Armie. He cares for you." Her voice was soft but her countenance was strong, and Armie's eyes prickled as she was reminded of her mother.

"No," she mumbled, swiping at her eyes stubbornly. "If he did, he wouldn't have read my diary…"

Beh'leeb hummed as she shifted Faitah to burp the child, thinking for a long moment. "You know…one time, I was ready to feed Faitah and I prepared the bottle as per usual."

Armie glanced up, eyes filled with curiosity. What did this have to do with what they had been talking about?

"I presented Faitah with the bottle, but for some reason my child cried no matter how much I offered it." Beh'leeb seemed sad as she recounted the tale. "I could not figure out what was wrong. But then, I realized it." She chuckled softly. "I had forgotten to warm the bottle."

The girl frowned, still unsure as to what she was supposed to be taking from this.

After a long moment, Beh'leeb smiled and tilted her head. "My point," she said softly, "is that parents make mistakes. We would like to be perfect…but we are not. Have you spoken with Datz since this happened?"

Armie shook her head, eyes fixed on the older woman's face. "I left right after that."

Worry crossed Beh'leeb's face. "He is likely looking for you. Are you planning to return home before the rain begins?"

"Maybe…" Armie sighed and crossed her arms. Blue eyes focused again on the book in her lap – the cause for all the consternation. "I don't think he's looking for me," she said, suddenly finding it hard to talk around the lump in her throat. "I…I told him to leave me alone…I think he's actually going to do it."

Beh'leeb shook her head. "Impossible." When Armie looked up at her in surprise, the older woman smiled. "I talked with Datz the day he picked you up from the airport. The way he spoke of you before you even came here…how strong you are, how proud you are…I could tell that even then, he loved you."

Her cheeks turned pink. Could it be true? How could he love her? She was just the child of a man he knew, a man who was long gone…

But he spoke of her with the warmth and pride that Papa had, so many times throughout the years.

"Mrs. Inmee?"

The dark haired woman inclined her head politely. "Beh'leeb, dear. Please."

"O-okay…Beh'leeb?" Armie fiddled nervously with her diary. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You may."

Armie looked up and met the woman's dark eyes. "How was he that day? Before he came to pick me up."

Beh'leeb chuckled softly at the memory. "I've never seen him so nervous. But I've never seen him so determined, either. He was so excited to meet with you that he checked his phone at least ten times in a half-hour to see where your flight was."

Armie couldn't even imagine Datz nervous. Fidgety, sure – she was pretty sure that was his default setting. But nervous? Why would he be nervous? She asked as much, still unable to wrap her mind around it.

"Perhaps it is not my place to say," Beh'leeb offered, "but I believe he feared that he would not be a suitable father to you."

Her mind flashed back to all the times that she had terrible nightmares and how Datz had held her close, letting her cry into his shirt as he rubbed her back gently. How gently he had smoothed her hair out of her face and how he had never forced her to talk about her nightmares. She remembered that he wouldn't let her tag along to investigate any of Private Justice's cases, and realized it was likely because he didn't want her to be triggered and reminded of her parents' murders.

She felt as if someone had punched her.

" _You never take anything seriously that's important to me!"_

He had – frequently, in fact. She had just never noticed.

Armie stood so quickly she almost dropped her diary, which she recovered and shoved into her bag. "Beh'leeb? Thank you for letting me stay, but…I need to go now."

Beh'leeb nodded again. "Of course. Please be safe getting back – it's the rainy season, and I think we're going to have a big one tonight."

She gave the older woman a polite smile before practically dashing out of the house and taking off at a run down the mountainside.

She needed to see him. She just had to apologize before it was too late.

* * *

(A/N: Tiniest of differences from the AO3 posting in that Armie originally waffled about what name to call Datz in her diary, but because the strikeout doesn't work on Fanfiction, I changed it so that she just calls him Corporal.)


	7. Chapter 7

The rain poured so violently that Datz couldn't even hear his own footsteps, let alone anything else. Other people had long since gone inside and there was nobody to even ask about her whereabouts. Datz pulled on his goggles in a vain attempt to keep the rain out of his eyes, hoping that it could help him see even a little better.

"ARMIE!" he shouted down an alleyway. Finding it empty, he turned and continued to run down the street. Oh Holy Mother, where could she be? He'd been all over the bazaar with no luck, and tried to navigate his way to Tehm'pul Temple. The rain dumped on him in sheets with such force that Datz was having trouble continuing to stand. It hadn't been this bad in years, but he pushed on. If it was this bad for him, how bad would it be for little Armie? Small, tiny, helpless Armie…

He grunted and pushed himself back up. "No," he growled aloud. She was stronger than that. He had seen it himself and he had to believe she would be fine now.

It was the only thing keeping him sane at this moment.

He reached the courtyard of the temple and looked around. No sign of her anywhere, either out in the open or under cover of any sort. Datz cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted again. "ARMIE!" His throat was raw from screaming down every alley and street he passed, but he couldn't give up. If she was still out there, he had to find her. He refused to yield until she was home safely.

…

Armie was positively soaked by the time she made her way back to the apartment. She had her goggles on to try and keep the rain off of her face, but it almost seemed that wherever she went the rain was lighter than everywhere else around her. She was surprised by how easy it seemed – normally she couldn't remember which winding street was hers and ended up hopelessly lost. But tonight, it almost seemed as if someone had been guiding her down the proper streets to help her.

She opened the apartment door with the key that Datz had made for her when she moved in. She'd never had to use it before, as she'd never been here without him, but she was grateful to be in and out of the rain.

Suddenly she noticed that the lights were off and that there was no sign that anybody was here.

It was empty.

Armie felt like someone had knocked the wind out of her and she folded her arms across her stomach as if to protect herself.

He had really given up on her, hadn't he? She bit her lip hard and tried to stop the tears from coming. She'd been too late to reach him – Datz was going to send her back to the United States and she'd have nobody.

"Hello?" A voice called from the back of the apartment and she perked up.

"H-Hello…?" Her voice was unsteady as she returned the greeting. "Is someone here?"

Apollo emerged from the back room. "Armie!" Relief was clear on his face as he rushed over to her. "Are you okay? Where have you been? Datz has been looking for you!" He finally got a good look at her and frowned. "Come on, go grab a towel and change. You must be freezing!"

She shivered slightly and realized that she was cold. She hadn't even noticed with how fast she'd been running to get back. "T-thanks, Private Justice," she mumbled. "That's the best idea I've heard today."

As she went for the hall closet and picked out her towel, she heard Apollo speaking on the phone. "Datz, it's me. …yeah, she just came in. Soaking wet and freezing cold – I sent her to dry off and change." He paused. "I can't hear you over the rain..."

The rest of the conversation was too hard for Armie to hear, but she was distracted by the smell emanating from the kitchen. She quickly dried and changed, trotting out to the small kitchen to see what was causing it.

She saw contents of the silver pan on the stovetop and felt again like someone had punched her. He'd made her pelmeni, just like Mama had always done after they'd had a disagreement.

 _How did he know?_

She grabbed one, knowing that it was long cold but finding it hard to care as she took a bite. Tears ran down her cheeks.

It wasn't Mama's, but the love was there all the same.

Armie heard the front door slam open and she ran to the front room. Her hands flew up to her mouth as she watched Datz stumble into the apartment. He panted heavily, was completely waterlogged, and looked worse than she'd ever seen him. It looked like he was about to fall over and she hysterically wondered if Private Justice could support his weight if he did. He haphazardly shoved his goggles off of his face, and she saw the lines where they had pressed in to his skin.

How long had he been out there in the rain, desperately looking for her in the storm?

"Datz!" Apollo's hands were out to try and steady him. "Jeez, you didn't have to _run_ , I told you she was okay – "

Armie ran over, feeling tears building up in her eyes. She opened her mouth – to try to apologize, to ask if he was okay, to say _something_ – but Datz's face held an unreadable expression as he slowly sank to his knees in front of her. Armie pressed a shaking hand to her mouth, willing words to come out, but before she could speak, his arms wrapped around her and he crushed her against his chest. She stumbled at the sudden movement, her hands instinctively coming to rest on his back as one of his hands stroked her hair. Armie jumped when she felt him quiver lightly and she pulled back just enough to see that he was _crying_.

"Armie…" His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper from the hours he had spent screaming her name as he searched the streets. "I thought I lost you…" He swiped at the tears that threatened to spill over, shaking his head and chuckling. "Should have known…you were smart…strong enough to…" He broke off, nearly doubling over as he coughed violently and Armie's hands were on his shoulders to steady him. Datz tried to continue once the fit had passed. "T-to get home on your own…"

Apollo firmly grasped Datz's arms now, making a desperate attempt to lift him off of the floor. "Alright, you're drying off and changing, too," he ordered. "This can wait until you're not on the verge of _hypothermia!_ "

Apollo practically had to wrestle him back into his bedroom and away from Armie, but he finally succeeded and sighed as he shut the door behind them. Armie found herself hovering by the closed door, waiting for Datz to finish. She wanted to talk to him, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't even know how to begin.

When the door finally opened, Apollo came out first. Datz was right behind him and Armie latched onto him, burying her face in his shirt. His skin was still cold and the chill of the rain clung to it, and guilt roiled in her.

But he just smiled and rustled her hair. "Did you eat?" he managed. It sounded like talking was actually _painful_ for him, but he pushed on anyway. "Sorry…I know it's not your Mama's."

For the first time since he'd come home, Armie finally found her voice. "That doesn't matter," she whispered. "It was so good…"

Datz grinned, though it looked far more tired than she was used to seeing on him. "I'm glad," he croaked. "Eat up, kiddo. There's plenty."

Apollo shook his head as he pulled on his jacket. The rain had finally stopped and he knew that they needed space to talk. "Sarge," he said. "Call me tomorrow when Datz can't even get out of bed. He's going to have a wicked cold after this, at least." Armie nodded, wanting to thank him for taking care of Datz but not knowing what to say.

Datz gripped Apollo's shoulder. "AJ," he said, and his voice was raw but serious. "Thank you."

The younger man nodded in return. "Of course. Get some rest, both of you." With one last wave goodbye, he turned and left, tugging his jacket over his head to stave off the last sprinklings of rain.

Armie turned to Datz, her face serious as she knew what she had to do. "Sit down," she said.

He raised an eyebrow in response. "I'm fine," he returned, though he still sounded far from it.

She lifted her chin and fixed him with a _look_. "That's an order, Corporal," she said, and it was like the magic word. His smile softened and he rustled her hair gently.

"Alright," he agreed. "Yes, ma'am, Sarge." He settled onto the couch, watching her leave the room. That pit of dread in his stomach returned and he wondered whether or not she would leave. She had been rightfully angry at him, and he hadn't even had a chance to explain. Datz grimaced, smothering a cough that he hoped Armie wouldn't hear. He wasn't even sure if the worst of it was from his raw throat or from the awful cold that AJ was _probably_ right he would have tomorrow.

Her soft footsteps padded across the floor as she returned a few minutes later, presenting him with a bowl. Datz carefully took it, biting back a yelp at how warm it was. He set it down on the couch cushion quickly, smiling when he realized she had warmed up the pelmeni from earlier for him. She had a bowl of her own and she settled next to him, eating in silence for a few minutes. Datz followed her cue, waiting for her to speak first. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and upset her again while she still attempted to get her thoughts together.

"…how did you know?" Armie finally asked quietly. He inclined his head, looking at her with curiosity and waiting for her to continue. "Mama…always used to make pelmeni when we'd had a fight. It was her way of opening the door to talk about it once we'd both calmed down."

He cleared his throat before responding. "I didn't," he admitted. "I looked into Russian dishes, and it seemed like one I couldn't completely ruin. Seemed like that one was just calling out to be made, though."

She looked down at her half-empty bowl, wondering if his experience was similar to the feeling that had guided her down the correct streets in the rainstorm. Brushing the thought aside for now, she continued. "I…went to talk to Mrs. Inmee – Beh'leeb." Datz's eyebrows practically met his hairline. Well, that was a surprise. Armie was polite enough with Beh'leeb, but he hadn't expected her to seek the older woman out. "She…told me a story about her baby. About how she forgot to warm the bottle once before feeding Faitah."

Datz was pretty sure that he understood what the story was getting at and spoke up. "Haha…I remember that. She was so frazzled; she couldn't figure out why Faitah was crying. But…parents make mistakes." He leaned over and carefully set his bowl on the floor. There was a pause in the conversation in which he turned to face her better, crossing his legs so that all of him fit on the couch. "And I screwed up. I'm really sorry, kiddo." He hesitated before reaching across the space to rest his hand on her shoulder. "I shouldn't have read your diary." Armie turned to look at him, opening her mouth to respond, but he held up his hand for a moment to stop her. Datz had to turn away to cough into his elbow again before he could continue; Armie almost wished he would stop talking because it sounded like every word was tearing his throat open again. "But…I gotta tell you what I meant. When I said 'it's alright'…I meant that about what you said, not about what I did." His smile seemed a little tired and wistful, and so unlike the Datz that she knew. "I'm not asking you to see me as your Papa. It doesn't hurt my feelings any."

Would it be something he'd like? Sure – if she ever chose to, he could get on board with being a father figure to her. But he was content to just be exactly what he had promised: being someone who was in her corner when she had nobody else.

Armie turned his apology over in her mind and ruminated on the things that Beh'leeb had told her earlier, and she simply nodded. "…I'm still mad," she admitted. "But…I can forgive you, Corporal."

Datz smiled and patted her shoulder. "Heh, don't blame you for being mad," he conceded. "And thanks for that, kiddo. You still hungry?"

Armie shook her head and set her bowl on top of Datz's. Suddenly she felt very, very sleepy. Her hands came up to scrub at her eyes and she sat up a little straighter.

Datz smiled warmly. She was adorable, especially when she was trying to hide just how tired she was. He wrapped his arms around her, tugging her close, and stood carefully with her in his arms. "Come on, Sarge," he chuckled. "Time for you to get some rest."

Armie only put up minimal protest, finding that she really _was_ tired after the day's events. She ended up resting her head on Datz's shoulder, intending to just let her heavy head lie there for a moment, but she didn't really remember anything after that. She was vaguely aware of him laying him on her bed and tucking the covers around her, but she fell into sleep quickly and didn't even register the gentle brush of his lips against the top of her head.


	8. Chapter 8

_Datz heard the cocking of a gun and he already knew he was too late. His body felt heavy as he turned, desperately reaching out to try and stop the Justice Minister from shooting Dhurke. "STOP!" His voice carried across the echoes of the empty space between them, but he couldn't move. Dammit, why wouldn't his body work?! He strained, willing himself to even take a single step, but nothing worked; he couldn't move! The Justice Minister smirked around his cigar as he pulled the trigger three times, each one finding their target and causing the older man to slowly collapse to the ground. Inga disappeared in a puff of smoke as Datz finally was able to free himself and stumbled over to Dhurke's side._

" _Dammit, this can't happen," Datz said, pressing his hands against the bloody wounds in an attempt to try to stem the bleeding. He cursed as the rain began to pour down on them both, making it even harder to see what he was doing. "Dhurke, no, you can't die; this can't be the end!"_

 _One of Dhurke's strong hands closed around his wrist and tugged him closer; Datz nearly stumbled as he tried to hold his balance. He leaned closer, trying to hear Dhurke's words._

" _She's dying," Dhurke gritted out. "You can't save us both, Datz. You have to go to her."_

 _His stomach lurched._ Armie _. He knew who Dhurke meant without asking. But was there really no way to save them both?_

" _What kind of father wouldn't sacrifice himself to save his children?" Dhurke rasped. "Go to her. Now!"_

 _Datz slammed his fist against the ground, biting back the scream that wanted to tear loose, but he immediately shoved himself to his feet and turned to run. The river had opened up behind them, tearing a channel through the ground. Freezing water swirled, churning up dangerous rapids that could easily sweep away even a grown adult. His heart seized as he saw Armie, desperately flailing to try and keep her head above water, caught in the torrents. Her eyes locked with his and she opened her mouth as if to scream for help, but she immediately took in water instead and coughed violently, which sapped the energy she needed to try and stay afloat._

 _Datz was in the water in an instant, frantically reaching out to her. But it seemed as if he couldn't catch her; the water seemed to be carrying her further and faster than him. "ARMIE!" he shouted. "Grab my hand!"_

 _Her fingers groped for his, clutching desperately to his gloved hand. For an instant, he wondered if he could save her after all. He turned his wrist to try and catch her hand._

 _A vicious wave crashed over them both, dragging them under and dashing him against the rocks beneath. He felt his skin sliced and knew the blood was leaving his body. Armie's hand slipped from his and Datz could hear her scream even under the water and he kicked frantically, trying to reach her. But the ice of the river stabbed at his body and he inhaled water. His sharp gasp at the pain only drew more water into his lungs, and Datz knew he would drown._

 _He couldn't see; his vision was dimming. Regret overtook him and as he faded into the darkness one thought circled his mind._

If I could have saved her…then it would have been worth it…

…

Small hands gripping his shoulders startled him awake, and Datz gasped frantically for the air that he still couldn't get. His body still felt so cold, and he felt the phantom water still filling his lungs, and he could still hear Armie _screaming_ –

" _Datz!_ " Armie's voice was frantic, but it cut through the nightmare and anchored him to the present. _She's alive, she's alive, she's –_

He sat up sharply, chest still heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Shakily he pressed his hands to his cheeks, surprised to feel tears there. His breath left him in one pained laugh.

Holy Mother, he hadn't had a nightmare that bad in a while.

Armie sat on the edge of his bed, blue eyes teeming with worry. "Are you…alright?"

Her voice drew his attention, but he still couldn't speak. He leaned over instead, encircling her with his arms and tugging her against him in a hug. She didn't hesitate to return it this time, her hands pressing against his skin as she tried to hold him just as closely. He burned so hotly from fever that she almost wanted to draw away, but she remembered all of the times that he had comforted her and she did not yield.

"S-sorry, kiddo," he finally managed to speak, voice hitching slightly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I heard you screaming," she mumbled against his shoulder. "And I had to make sure you were alright." One hand came up to gently pat at his hair as she had felt him do so many times for her.

Now she understood why so many adults were quick to ask what a nightmare was about. She wanted to know so that she could drive it away and assuage his fears, but she wouldn't make him relive it. She understood now that he had truly respected her boundaries by not pressing about her own nightmares.

"I didn't know adults could get scared like I do," Armie admitted softly. She could still hear Datz's heart pounding wildly, as if struggling to push blood out of wounds that no longer existed. She clutched him a little tighter.

He nodded in reply, brushing her hair off of her shoulder and holding her closer in turn. "Yeah, I do," he roughly said. "Armie…I thought I'd lost you today." He tucked her head against his shoulder. "I should have stopped you, or warned you about the rain. I couldn't have lived with m'self if anything happened to you." His voice cracked slightly, and he wasn't sure if it was the ghosts of the nightmare or the idea of losing her.

Beh'leeb's words came to mind, and Armie felt the truth of them sinking in with every sentence that Datz said. She pulled back to look him in the eyes now, blue gaze holding brown steadily. "I'm sorry," she said. "I said something I didn't mean."

"W-what?" Confusion creased his brow as he looked down into her youthful face. Determination set her features and she looked for all the world like a little soldier, ready to deliver an order.

"I said that you don't take anything important to me seriously," she reminded him. "But it's not true." She placed her small hand against his rough cheek, biting back a smile at the tickle of his stubble. "You do lots for me, and you do take it seriously." She leaned a little closer, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek and pulling back in one smooth movement. "I'm sorry."

He promised himself he wouldn't cry, but damn was it hard. Her words struck his heart and he could only respond by hugging her tightly. After taking a long moment to compose himself, he gave her a shaky chuckle. "Thanks, kiddo."

There wasn't anything else that they needed to say. Datz released her with a smile before settling back against the pillows. Armie hesitated for a long moment before retreating down the hall to her own room. Datz shuffled to sit up, curious as to what she was doing, but chuckled when she returned with her pillow and blanket. Without being asked, he shifted to make room for her on the mattress. Armie quickly and easily settled in next to him, pulling her blanket up to her chin.

Datz smiled tiredly and reached out to give her shoulder a squeeze. "'Night," he murmured before promptly dropping off into sleep.

Armie waited until she was sure that Datz's breathing had evened out into that of deep sleep. As soon as she felt comfortable enough, she nestled a little closer, enough that she could hear his heart beating. The rhythmic and steady beat of life was finally enough to lull her back into a dreamless sleep.

…

He was too sick to get out of bed the next morning, just as AJ had predicted. Datz groaned helplessly, laying a hand across his feverish forehead. He couldn't remember the last time that he had felt so awful.

Armie was gone by the time he finally came back to consciousness, which didn't really surprise him. What did surprise him was the fact that he could smell something cooking in the kitchen. He tried to push himself up, intending to see just what she was up to. But before he could even get his feet under him, Armie appeared in the doorway with a makeshift tray made from a piece of plywood. He chuckled hoarsely. He'd been trying to put together her dresser before she moved in and had found the extra piece of wood. It was likely supposed to go _somewhere_ , but he'd be damned if he could figure out where. It seemed that she'd found a use for it, though.

"What's this about?" he managed, and Armie winced. He sounded even worse than he had yesterday.

"I made you breakfast," she said like it was obvious, indicating the plate. Whatever was on it vaguely resembled scrambled eggs and toast, but he was too touched by the gesture to really care about the taste. She handed him the plywood and sat next to him, watching as he ate.

He smothered a wince as he took the first rubbery bite. Well. It was the thought that counted. He swallowed it and turned to her. "So what's the occasion, kiddo?"

"Since you're too weak and old to get out of bed after a little rainstorm," she teased lightly. He looked surprised for a moment, and Armie wondered if maybe she was pushing it too far. But he threw back his head and laughed, though the sound was far raspier than usual.

"Yeah, you got that right," he chuckled. He was amused when she planted her hands on her hips and smirked up at him in a way that reminded him _way_ too much of himself.

"Guess that just means I have to take care of you today, old man," she said. He felt his heart warm and he set the food aside to draw her into a hug. Armie didn't mind those anymore – he was just very touchy feely and loved giving her hugs, it seemed.

Her smile turned into a loud squeal as he used his grip to noogie her head. "Aaaah! S-stop! Corporal, _I order you to stop that!_ " But it was hard to sound authoritative between her squeaks and frantic giggles as his fingers moved to tickle her sides next.

"Sorry, Sarge," he grinned wickedly. "It's a rebellion! You can't stop me now!"

She laughed and her fingers sought out any ticklish skin she could find. "Fine, if that's the way it is, then it's war!" she declared, digging her fingers into his armpits and delighting at his own shriek. They wrestled for control for a few minutes before they collapsed together in a fit of cackles, both trying desperately to catch their breath after their spontaneous battle.

Armie couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much or laughed so hard. And this time, when she went to wipe tears from her eyes, they were tears of mirth.

…

A few nights later, Datz was awakened by her fearful gasps and he immediately went to her. He entered her room and sat on her bed, wrapping an arm around her until she was ready to speak. But it caught him off guard when she tackled him in a hug, pulling him close and mumbling softly against his shirt. "Thanks, Dad," she whispered, and suddenly he was swallowing around a lump in his throat.

"Always, kiddo," he promised, stroking her hair until she fell back to sleep.

A dragon never yields, and Datz Are'bal never yielded in his love for his daughter.


End file.
